Combination lock



Dc. 16, 1952 i J. H. PORCHE 2,621,508

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Aug. 1, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l l/VVEN ran J'uL IEIV, HENR l Panc HE A TTORNEYJ' Dec. 16, 1952 J. H. PORCHE 2,621,508

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Aug. 1, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 nvvewran I JUL/Aw HENRI PaRQ Dec. 16, 1952 PQRCHE 2,621,508

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Aug. 1, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 //v TOR J'uuznv HENR/ cH 5 @m Dec. 16, 1952 Filed Aug. 1, 194'? J. H. PoRcHE COMBINATION LOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mus/v70? a I 17 IJZIL/EN HENRI PORCHE 4T TOR/V575 Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 1, 1947, Serial No. 765,517 In France January 24, 1939 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires January 24, 1959 11 Claims.

The present invention relates to so-called combination or puzzle-locks of the type which is operated by means of one single control member, which needs no key for locking and unlocking the device, and combined with an arrangement for automatically looking a door as soon as the same is closed.

This type of mechanism is known in its application to containers designed to contain articles which it is desired to keep safe from thieves. In particular, devices of this kind were used for locking chests, wardrobes or boxes of all stationary or portable types, and even, in a purposely simplified form, on cars which it is often desirable to lock rapidly and carefully when they contain possibly valuable items such as commercial travellers samples or goods, tourists luggage, etc.

One object of this invention is to provide an inviolable lock intricate in its combinations but which can be operated simply and rapidly, which also enables the operator to lock doors automatically at their closing, which is simple in its construction and whose outer members will not interfere with the lock of the door. In addition, where applied to an automobile body, the lock must be capable of adaptation to existing doorlocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock of the character hereinabove indicated, whereby the engagement or release of the lock is effected by operating one simple control member first in one direction and then in the other direction in predetermined increments.

A further object of the invention is to provide a look as defined in the last preceding paragraph, and wherein displacement of the control member on its axis, combined with rotary movement thereof, is necessary to release the look.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock of the combination type wherein simple arrangements are provided to change the operating combination.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock of the character described wherein the control member is also adapted to perform some of the functions heretofore served by parts of the conventional door look. I

In the diagrammatic drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view showing the essential mechanism of the lock in the open position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the lock in the coupled position, taken on line A A in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of the movable stop 2 system in its zero position, the lock being in its open position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in a different operating position.

Figure 5 is a general cross-sectional view of a three digit combination lock;

Figures 6 and '7 show the details of operation of said lock.

While the look now to be described is capable of adaptation to closures of a variety of types, it will be described herein as applied to an automobile door, merely by way of an example.

The lock according to the embodiment described comprises essentially (Figs. 1 and 2) a pair of idle wheels I, 2 carrying pawls 3, 4 by which ratchet-wheels 5, 6 rigidly secured to camwheels I, 8 are driven in opposite directions relative to one another.

The cams co-operate with studs 9, I 0 integral with a sliding plate II the end I2 of which comes into engagement with a member I3 operable to block a door-lock (e. g. that of an automobile) of usual design (not shown).

On the other hand, pins I4, I5 secured on a supporting plate It allow the above mentioned sets of cams, ratchets and wheels to rotate freely.

Carried at one end of pins I5, I4 are hand levers I'l, I8 movable about said pins, and carrying retractable stops 23 spring biased to advanced position.

The cam-wheels I, 8 form discs provided on one face thereof with a plurality of recesses I9 intended to produce the clicking noise when the lock is being operated and with holes 20 for the passage of the retractable stops, said holes being in registry with the recesses or cams proper 9a, Illa, of the cam-wheels I and 8.

Moreover, the supporting plate is drilled with a plurality of holes 2 I providing passages for balls 22 swaged in movable stops 23 pressed upon the plate I6 by means of springs 24 and guided by stems 25 carrying hold-knobs 26, the whole being housed in movable hand-levers [1, I8 and the units thus composed providing what may be called retractable movable stops.

The rotation of wheels I, 2 is controlled by a central wheel 21 carrying pins 28 and which can rotate freely on a fixed bushing 29 acting as a pivot axis and receiving a central shaft 30 provided at one end thereof with a control-knob 3| rigid therewith.

Moreover, secured on the central shaft 30 is a disc 32 formed with holes 33 spaced in correspondance with recesses I9 and holes 20 as well as cams I and 8.

The central shaft 30 which carries control knob 3| can be axially displaced by turning knob 35 of screw 34 so as to move shaft 39 to the right (Fig. 2) against the bias of spring 3'1. Such displacement disengages a clutch comprising disk 32 on the shaft and pins 28 on gear 21, so that when the clutch is disengaged rotation of the knob has no effect on the cam wheels, the knob merely rotating on the end thrust ball 36. The screw 3-. operates in complementary threads in a fixed bushing 29, which also supports the fixed end of a spring 39 effective on plate The operation of the lock will now be described. From a glance at Figs. 3 and e, in conjunction with a knowledge of the latch bolt operation of the conventional door lock, it will be apparent that detent |3 must have its finger tip detached from the cooperating bolt actuating means before said detent means can be operated to release the actuating means. In other words, viewing the dotted line showing at the top of Figs. 3 and 4, the lever |3 must be moved from the Fig. 4 position to the Fig. 3 position. For this purpose sliding plate [I must be caused to move upwardly to contact with the rear end of lever |3 to disengage it. Plate H is normally biased by spring 39 to such upper position, but is prevented from moving to such upper position by the fact that cam following pins 9 and I0, integral with plate H, are normally riding on the raised periphery of the cam portions of cam wheels 7 and 8. Upward movement of plate H is permitted only when said cam wheels 1 and 8 are rotated to such registered position that recesses 9a and la are simultaneously in registry with pins 9 and i8 respectively, so that the said pins can snap into said recesses under the bias of spring 39, thereby permitting sliding plate H to move.

By means of the operation of knob 3|, shaft 39, gear 21, and idler wheels I and 2, and the intermediate pawls 3 and 4, cam wheels I and 8 may be moved in succession to any desired detent stop, but the operator must know when to stop rotation of knob 3| in one direction after registering pin 9' with recess 9a for examp e, and when to begin rotation of knob 3| in the other direction so as to register pin it with recess Illa. The operator must therefore first establish a zero position, and then rotate the several cam wheels a known number of clicks, first in one direction, and then in the other direction.

Azero positioning is established by registry of the ball tips of retractable stops 23 with the holes 23 in the cam wheels 1 and 3. On rotation of each cam wheel by means of knob 3|, the ball tip clicks over depression l9 in sequence until a materially increased resistance is encountered when the ball tip drops into hole 20. Rotation of: knob 3| is then reversed in direction until the corresponding registry is obtained with the other cam wheel. The zero point is thus established for each cam wheel.

After establishment of the. zero point the operator must be familiar-with the angular displacement, measured in number of clicks, which must be accomplished by movementof each cam wheel away from said zero point, in order to bring each recess 9a or lilo; into registry with its respective pin 9 or H].

Such angular displacement is controlled by presetting of the movable arms l! and is which carry the retractable stops. For each cam wheel the retractable stop can be drawn back, and the arm thereafter preset in any one of the ten positions indicated. This determines the number of clicks through which the cam wheel must be turned in order to bring recess 9a, for example beneath pin 9, and when the corresponding operation is performed for the other cam wheel, plate 2| will operate as heretofore described.

In rotating the presetting arm I8 for example, knob 26 is pulled out against the bias of spring 24 until ball tip 22 clears supporting plate l8, after which the arm |8 may be rotated to any desired position.

To set a lock for the combination 7-6 for example (as shown in Fig. 4) arm i1 is moved to place its retractable stop in position numbered 7, and arm is is similarly moved to place its retractable stop in position numbered 6. Starting from the zero point for each cam wheel, movement of the upper cam wheel seven clicks counterclockwise and movement of the lower cam wheel six clicks clockwise results in arrival of recess 9a under pin 9 and recess Illa under pin it as hereinbefore described, whereupon lever H is permitted to move upwardly.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, once the combination has been properly operated, and the sliding plate II has moved to the position shown in Fig. 1, the dog may be operated freely by the normal door handle as many times as desired provided knob 3| is not rotated to disturb the position of either cam wheel 1 or 8. Once such position has been disturbed, then the combination must be again operated to permit operation of the dog.

A possible embodiment of a lock according to this invention, designed to operate on a three digit combination, is shown in cross-sectional view in Fig. 5. The figure also shows, together with Figs. 6 and '7 how said lock is connected with a door-latch of any conventional known type.

The constructional structure of the lock according to this example is similar to that of Figs. 1 to 4 and its operation is also similar when knob 3! is rotated in one direction or the other. The third digit combination figure comes here into play when the knob 3| is pulled to the right or pushed to the left.

Forv that purpose, the stem 30 of knob 3| carries a disc 5| formed with a groove 52 cooperatingwith a lever 54 rockable about a stationary pin 55. The other end of said. lever is formed with a fork 51 straddling a pin 58 carried by a slider comprising a supporting stem 59 and aplurality ofrollers 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, said member being guided in a sleeve 69 mounted in the supporting plate It. The said slider projects through an aperture 68 in the locking plate H. Oneof the rolls 83-68, for instance-roll G3, has a smaller diameter than the others, so that when. same is engaged in the aperture 88 in plate H the latter is not prevented from moving upwards for a certain distance, whereas in the position shown in Fig. 5 a displacement of the plate ii in the upward direction is impossible.

Moreover, the stem 30 is formed with slots or grooves 35, 46, 41, 68; 49 co-operating with a ball-stop 43. When the knob 3| is pulled the ball will skip from-onegroove into the next thus marking positions of rest in the axial shifting of knob 3| corresponding to the positions of rolls 63-55 with respect to plate Thus, when the knob is pulled by three notches with respect to theposition of thestop in Figure 5, the smaller roll 63 will register with the aperture 68 in plate I I' and thus unlock the latter which thenceforth can move upwardly when urged to do so. A figure 3 can thus be set.

By altering the position of roll 63 with respect to the others a similar alteration is obtained in this figure of the combination.

As already pointed out, the lock can be associated, such as described above, with any desired latching or bolting device, particularly with the doors of now existing automobiles, it being only necessary to fit a small number of intermediate members between the lock according to this invention and one of any conventional type which at the same time will permit to obtain a now automatic latching, as will be hereinafter described.

The bolt [M of a lock, e. g. that of known automobile doors, is fitted with an abutment or stud I8 (Fig. 6) For retracting said bolt, that is, for opening the vehicle, the handle of the latter, integral with a shaft 90, is actuated, a member provided with a finger 9| being secured on said shaft. The said finger 9| acts on a stop 18 and urges the bolt to the left.

The arrangement described has been taken advantage of by complementing the same with a lug I03 facing in the direction shown in Fig. 6

and designed to co-operate with a multi-armed bell crank lever I02 pivotally mounted on a pin I04.

Mounted on the same pin I04 is catch I3 which registers with one similarly catch-shaped arm 93 of said lever I02. Both catches are in engagement with lug I03. Lever I02 comprises a finger I9 located on the path of stud I8 and a finger 8| in engagement with a catch lever 84 rockable about a pin I05 and maintained in the position shown in Fig. 6 by a spring 81.

As the gear wheel 21 of the combination look as previously described and fitted on the plate I6 is turned in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 6, to bring the recess 9a of the upper cam wheel I into registry with the stud 9 of the sliding plate II, an abutment stud 89 on said gear wheel 21 is brought into engagement with a projection 88 on a catch lever 84. Upon continued rotary movement of the gear wheel 21, the abutment stud 89 thereof moves said catch lever 84 to the left, Fig. 6, with the consequent release of the upper end of said catch lever from its retaining engagement with the finger 8| of the multiarmed lever I02 and the further consequent release of the catch arm 93 of such lever from its retaining engagement with the lug I03. As a result, when the member I3 is released from its retention of the lug I03 by the elevation of the sliding plate II, the opening of the door can be effected by operation of the door handle (not shown) which is operatively connected with the shaft 90, the door handle being actuated to cause the finger 9| to move to the left or counterclockwise, Fig. 6, to thereby effect retracting movement of the latch bolt II with respect to its cooperating keeper (not shown).

However, the pressure on the door handle being continued, stud I8 throws the arm 19 back into its position shown in Fig. 6, against the bias of spring 95. The finger BI, snaps past catch lever 84, catch 93 comes again into the position shown in Fig. 6 and as soon as the door handle rigid with shaft 90 is released the finger 9| is set again into engagement as shown in Fig. 6 through the medium of lug I03 rigidly secured therewith. Catch 98 and lug I03 have onlya very small por- 6 tion of their surfaces in mutual engagement in Fig. 6. One or both (catch 93 and lug I03) have an inclined camming side surface on the side adjacent the mutually engaging portions, and one or both are somewhat loosely mounted on plate I6. Then, when the spring inside the latch bolt I0| drives it toward the locked position, stud I8 in moving to the right in Fig. 6 I0- tates finger 9| clockwise and forces the camming side surface or surfaces to move catch 93 and lug I03 sidewise out of interfering alignment. When they reach the position in Fig. 6, the catch 93 and lug I03 return to normal unstrained position so that the door handle is blocked from rotating counterclockwise.

If the door is now slammed, the bolt |0I interlocks with the keeper. but since the doorhandle is blocked, the door is bolted. In order that the catch 04 can be kept away from its position according to Fig. 6, that is, for the purpose of cancelling the effect of automatic locking, an arrangement as shown in Fig. '7 is provided which consists of a knob 14 which is screwthreadedly engaging a nut 10 and which carries an intermediate member I2 provided with a bevel-shaped peg I6. When the plate II has returned upwards to its position of unlocking and when the knob 14 is screwed, the said peg is able to come into engagement with a notch I00 in plate II and at the same time with a projection on catch-lever 84 so as to move the latter away from the locked position shown in Fig. 6. Positioning of peg 16 in notch I00 maintains plate II in its upward or door unlocking position, and engagement of peg I6 with catch lever 84 keeps the tip of said catch lever permanently out of engagement with crank lever arm 8|. The combination knob cannot be operated because pins 9 and I 0 are permanently held in recesses 9a and |0a but disengagement of both levers I3 and I02 from member 9| permits the door handle to be manipulated as often as desired in conventional manner. The automatic actuation of the lock is thus cancelled and the door operates normally.

It follows that the opening and closing of the door are completely free, which enables the user to keep his combination secret.

It is to be understood that the embodiments described above by way of example, though deemed to be advantageous, are by no means of limitative character, since the locks according to this invention, as well as the automatic members, can be designed differently depending on the conditions of use particularly on which locks of conventional pattern they are to be associated with.

I claim:

1. In a lock structure having a bolt member movable to and from locking position and actuating means for moving said bolt member from looking position and detent means engageable with said actuating means to prevent it from moving said bolt member from locking position, control mechanism for the release of said detent means, said control mechanism comprising a support, a slide bar movably mounted on said support and having a pair of longitudinally spaced cam followers, means normally urging said slide bar to a position to release said detent means from engagement with said actuating means, means on said support preventing such movement of said slide bar, comprising a pair of cam wheels on said support cooperable with said cam followers and having low points which when in simultaneous engagement with said cam followers permit movement of said slide bar to detent means releasing position, means for they independent rotation of said cam wheels, and means for determining when each of said cam wheels has been rotated to an extent to bringits low point into engagement with a cam follower of the slide bar,

2. Mechanism as. defined in claim 1, wherein thecam. wheels are independently rotatable by asingle means, rotatable in one direction toeffectmotary movement of one cam wheel and rotatable in the opposite directionto efiect rotary movement of the. other cam wheel.

3..Mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein means is provided for disengaging said cam wheel rotating means from said cam wheels whereby to prevent operation of said cam wheels by said rotating means during such disengagement.

4. Mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the meansfor indicating the position of the low point of each cam wheel with respect to a cam follower comprises an adjustably fixed spring impelled: plunger carried by said support in contact with. the face of the cam wheel, said face being provided with a spaced series of depressions in the pathof contact-of said plunger when said cam wheel is rotated, whereby said plunger clicks successively into each depression during cam wheelrotation, one of said depressions in said path being deeper than the others whereby to increase the resistance of cam wheel rotation as the. plunger encounters said deeper depression, andathereby provide a point of reference in determining a starting point for cam rotation.

5. Mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein additional control mechanism is provided for said slide bar,.such mechanism including a plurality of. elements: successively engageable with said slide bar; onevofisaid elements having a low point which. when in registry with said' slide bar permitssaid'slide bar to be moved into detent means release'position.

6. Mechanism as defined in. claim 1, wherein additional control'mechani'sm is provided for said slide bar, such mechanism including: a plurality of: elements successively engageable. with said slide bar, one of saidelements having alow point which when .in. registry with saidv slide bar permits said slide. bar to be moved into detentmeans release. position, the position of the elementhavingjsuchlow point with respect to the other: elements being variable as desired.

-.Mechcnism as defined in claim 1. wherein additional .wntrol mechanism is-provided for said sliderbar, such mechanism including a plurality of elements successively engageable with saidfor rotating. the cam wheels.

8. Mechanism as provided in claim 1, wherein holding, means is provided for cooperation with said actuating means to prevent it from moving the bolt member from lockingposition when the slide bar is in detent releasing position.

9. Mechanism as providedin claim 1, wherein holding means is provided for cooperation with said actuating meansv to prevent it from moving the bolt member from locking position when the slide bar" is. in detent. releasing. position, and wherein means is provided for the release ot'said holdingrmeans.

10; Mechanism as provided in'claim 1', wherein holding means is provided for cooperation with said actuating means to prevent'it from moving the bolt member. from-locking position when the slide bar is in detentreleasing position, said holdingmeans being under the control of the." means for rotating the cam wheels.-

11. Mechanismas provided in claim 1, wherein holding means is provided for cooperation with said actuating means-to prevent it from moving the bolt member. fromlockingposition when the slide bar, is in. detent releasing position, and wherein means is provided for rendering. said holding means ineffective when desired.

JULIEN HENRI PORCHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are-of. record in the file of this patent::

UNITED STATES" PATENTS Number Name Date 916,878. Knight Mar. 30,1909 1,292,249 Carmichiel- Jan. 21, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 371,700 Italy June 1, I939 

